The Accidental Case
by SilverPhoenix1313
Summary: When Sherlock show up at Scotland Yard bored looking for a case, he runs into a young woman who pulls on his heart strings. Making him think that he might actually be able to love someone, can he save her and help her adjust to a new life? Or was she always doomed to die? Sherlock/ OC Rated M because of some very dark stuff.
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, so i had this dream last night and I just HAD to get this written out! I really don't know if I'm going to do much with this but at least let me know what you think! **

"Sherlock? What are you doing here?" Lestrade asked stopping mid walk.

"I was bored Lestrade. You really have no new cases?" Sherlock said looking around as though he was hiding them from him and one was just going to pop out at him.

"Sherlock, look I'm in the middle of something and I can't entertain today." Lestrade said. Looking down Sherlock saw that he was holding two cups of tea.

"You have someone here, a case. You only break out the tea when you're trying to get something out of someone, or if there is bad news... and judging by the look on your face it suggests the first. Honestly Lestrade you should have just called me, you know I can get something out of someone quicker than you." He turned towards the room he knew Lestrade was heading towards.

"Sherlock no!" Lestrade slammed the cups down on a near by desk, sloshing some onto the desk. "There is a reason I didn't call you. I'm taking care of this one by myself."

"That's stupid, why?"

"Because," Lestrade sounded exhausted. "This is a special case. A very special case." Sherlock looked over towards the room once again and his brows furrowed.

"It's a child isn't it?" Sherlock asked.

Lestrade sighed, there really was no stopping him, "Might as well be. She's too scared to speak, guy had her locked up and beat her for the past 20 years. She's not right in the head." Lestrade said, Sherlock noticed how sad and tired he sounded.

"Ah, Mycroft told me you'd been at work non-stop for the past week. He's worried you know, wont say anything, but I can tell." Sherlock said looking over at the DI. "At least let me sit in."

"Can't, she wont even talk to me. At this point I'm not even sure she _can_ talk." He let out another sigh and ran his hand over his face. He was tired and the small wrinkles that dotted the sides of his eyes seemed more prominent than normal and his patience was wearing thin. "I'm on the verge of calling a doctor."

"For you or her?"

"Very funny." He paused. "Fine, you can have a sit in, but don't say anything. It's taken me four days of non-stop talking to get her to even stop twitching and rocking back and forth in the fetal position. You better not ruin this. Just, don't be Sherlock Holmes for once in your life." He picked back up the cooling tea and started forward Sherlock quickly falling into place next to the DI. He stopped outside the room and Sherlock took off his coat and scarf.

"You said not to be me, well this is as good as its going to get." Sherlock said stiffly. Lestrade nodded and carefully opened the door slowly going in first, Sherlock followed right behind him.

The lights in the room had been dimmed, and in the middle of the room sat the normal metal table, and at the table sat a young girl about Sherlock's age. He had never seen in person someone who was in worse condition. She was beyond skinny, it looked as though she was just a skeleton with skin pulled over it, her left arm was in a sling it must have been broken, along with a rib that looked that it had healed at a funny angle. She wore a dirty skirt that was far too big for her and had way too many holes, along with a black ribbed tank. Her hair was long, down to her feet and was caked in dust, grim, dirt, and what looked like blood, he couldn't even begin to guess what color her hair originally was. Sherlock guessed the blood was her own as she seemed in no condition to hurt anyone. The girl looked up quickly as the two men walked into the room, Sherlock noticed there were only two chairs, she must have noticed as well because she quickly vacated the chair she had been occupying and stood in the corner, leaving the chair for the new person, him.

"Miss. Collins I brought that tea I said I would." Lestrade said as friendly as he could manage without sounding too cheerful. Lestrade set down the two cups of tea and the woman took a quick step forward looked down at the two cup up at the two men and before either could say anything had added a couple spoonfuls of sugar and a splash of cream to each and pushed them back towards Sherlock and Lestrade shrinking back towards the corner where she sat down hugging her knees to her chest rocking back and forth on her feet looking down at the floor.

Sherlock looked down at the tea and over at Lestrade who's face was impassive, "She's been like this since we brought her here. Every time we try to get her to eat she just makes the plate more presentable and pushes it back towards us. I'm starting to think we are going to have to sedate her again, and strap her down to an IV to even get something in her so she wont die." Lestrade sat down in the chair. Sherlock looked from Lestrade to the woman, her eyes bore into the floor, muttering soft spoken words under her breath. He listened careful and realized it was words to a TV show theme song to a show he himself used to be sat in front of by the nanny in one of her attempts to make more of a normal child. He took a step forward and the muttering stopped and she stopped rocking and he could see, what little muscle she had, tense up.

"Whats her first name?" Sherlock murmured to Lestrade.

"No idea, the father wouldn't tell us, and we've had a hell of a time with the hospital trying to get a match on some prints. For as far as we know she didn't even exist until we found her. And we weren't even prepared to find someone living there besides the Father. We found her in a small closet next to the fireplace." Lestrade said. "I'm about to send her to the hospital for the mental nurses to take care of her. I'm at my limit and I can't have her living in my interrogation room."

"She's been _living_ here? In here?" Sherlock looked around. There was a small cot that looked as though it hadn't even been touched, the blankets lay next to it on the floor.

"She won't let anyone come near her to move her into another room. I don't even want to think how we are ever going to get her out of this room when he finally need to." Lestrade took a drink of the now cold tea.

Sherlock looked back over at Miss. Collins who had continued her muttering and rocking. Growing up with Mycroft he had never even know that there were people that lived like this, true he knew not everyone lived in a happy family but for someone to actually treat a child, or even a person like this was disgusting. He crouched down and slowly maneuvered his way towards her, she had once again stopped her muttering and rocking, only this time she looked up watching Sherlock, a curious look on her face as she watched him wobble his way closer to her. When he was less than a foot away she did something that made Lestrade fall out of his chair.

She held out her arm that wasn't broken with her palm facing flat towards Sherlock, "Stop." She said in a voice that was quite soft, but sounded croaky as though she had never spoken this loudly before.

Sherlock did, he did not stand but sat there in the crouched position. "You do talk." He spoke no louder than a whisper, not wanting to scare her.

"Little..." She said in the same voice.

"Bloody hell Sherlock is there anything you can't do?" Lestrade cussed silently, but Sherlock heard and he couldn't help but smirk.

"Where Master?" She asked, before launching into a coughing fit, her voice was apparently not used to this much use at this volume.

"Master?" Sherlock asked, he looked back at Lestrade who shrugged, "I think she means her Father," he looked back towards Miss. Collins, "Do you mean your Father?"

Miss. Collins just looked at Sherlock with a blank face. "Where Master?"

"He isn't going to hurt you anymore." Sherlock said, not sure how else to let her know she was in a safe place.

The woman looked away back down to the floor where she ran a finger in between the tiles along the lines, Sherlock was starting to think that she was done talking when just as he was getting ready to move she spoke once again. "Master bad man..." She said it so suddenly it seemed to even surprise herself, as she looked at the one way quickly then to the door. It was as though she knew there were people watching her, but she seemed to fear one of them was her Father she quickly looked back down at the floor and tensed up again.

"Do you have a first name? What did Master call you?" Sherlock asked, trying to bring her back out of her shell, but she did not look up, she simple continued to look down a single tear fell off the tip of her nose falling to the floor as she muttered a single word, that she seemed to know meant something bad, and it made an anger swell up in his chest.

"Bitch."


	2. Chapter 2

**So I'm thinking this is after the fall. And I really wanted to say that I'm really surprised at the amount of feedback I'm getting from chapter one! Thank you guys! Sorry this chapter is so short!**

Lestrade and Sherlock stood outside the room, where Miss. Collins was. She was sitting sitting on the floor after Lestrade finally managed to get Sherlock out of the room. "Did you hear what she said?" Sherlock asked once again. "The look on her face." He said softly shaking his head.

"What I'm still trying to figure out is how you even got her to _talk_ to you. I was starting to think she couldn't." Lestrade said he took a drink of tea.

"It was simple really. You keep waiting for her to come to you when you need to go to her, get down there with her so you frighten her." Sherlock said looking through the one way window in at the woman. She had moved over towards the cot they had set up in the room and had wrapped herself up in the blanket, still sitting on the floor. Suddenly almost as if she knew he was watching her eyes quickly darted towards the window, looking right into his. "What are you going to do with her?" Sherlock asked, not looking away.

"Dunno, I'll have to turn her into the hands of a doctor eventually. So she'll probably be sent to the loony bin." Lestrade sighed. "Sad really."

"What if a doctor said he was interested in her and wanted to study, maybe even help her?" Sherlock asked, Lestrade could hear the tone of determination in his voice.

"What are you trying to get at Sherlock? There isn't anyone who is going to want her."

"What if I found someone though?"

"Well, then if they were willing to I could hand her over... Legally I'd have to, the station isn't a mental ward." Lestrade said sighing, starting to wonder what crazy idea Sherlock was going to come up with.

"Perfect." Sherlock said flinging his coat on. "I'll be back later."

"Where are you going?"

"To find a doctor." Sherlock said and disappeared.

Sherlock didn't bother to knock when he arrived at the small apartment, John was sitting at a desk shuffling through some papers. "John, I need you to come with me." Sherlock said walking over and standing by the desk. John didn't look up. "Normally when someone comes busting into another's home it means something important is going on and one needs to come quite quickly." Sherlock said, a bit annoyed at John's lack of enthusiasm.

"I'm busy Sherlock, I can't just go running off on your adventures anymore," He looked at a paper set it down and picked up another one, his brows ruffled in concentration.

"I'm not asking you to go on an adventure. I'm asking you to come with me, because I need your opinion on something. Your _professional_ opinion." Sherlock said hoping to gain his friend's attention, it worked.

"You're not hurt are you?" John asked, taking his first look away from the papers in his hands to quickly dart over Sherlock to look for any visable wounds when he saw none he went back to his papers.

"No, it's not for me." Sherlock said, that caught John's attention.

He set his papers down and turned to face Sherlock. "Whats happened?"

Sherlock launched into what happened when he had went to Scottland Yard that morning, when he was done he just looked at John, expecting to see him bursting with excitement like he was, but he just let out a long breath and leaned back in his chair.

"And what do you need me for?"

"I want you to come look at her for me." Sherlock said as though it should have been obvious.

"Why are you so interested in her?" John asked, he had never seen Sherlock like this before.

"Why are you not? She's pratically ferral! How are you not interested to know more about her?" Sherlock asked leaning on the desk. "John when is the next time you are going to get to help someone like this? I told Lestrade I was coming back with a Doctor, he needs one to actually look at her and help her. Otherwise she going to end up in mental ward with no help what so ever."

"You don't know this girl do you?" John asked looking Sherlock in the face.

"No, why?"

"Nothing, just thought I'd ask." John stood up and grabbed his coat. "Well, lets go then."

Sherlock grinned gave the air a small punch with his fist in victory and preceded John out of the apartment and out onto the street.


	3. Chapter 3

**Again, I am so sorry about how short the last Chapter was! **

Tweenty minutes later John and Sherlock were crawling out of the cab as Sherlock tossed some money at him. They made their way inside as Sherlock led John to Lestrade who was back in the room with the woman. Sherlock pointed at the glass and John took a step up, letting out a gasp of shock his hand flew up to his mouth. "When you said it was a girl I thought you were talking about a little girl, like a child not a full grown woman!" John took a step back not being able to watch her much longer. "She looks to be almost as old as you. Maybe give a year or two... How did she get like this?"

Sherlock handed John the girls case file, Sherlock had nicked it when Lestrade hadn't been looking before he left, he had read it on the way to John's needless to say it had made him a bit sick. John, a bit more prepared this time, flipped through her file. Like Sherlock he had to look away when he saw the pictures they had taken of her when they found her at the house. The first picture showed the girl coward in a corner that was caked in dirt, the wall surrounding it had what looked like fresh and dried blood. John tore his eyes away from the first one to look at the next one, this one showed what looked like a hole in the ground with a couple of blankets around the hole, this picture also had some writting at the bottom of it. _Hole we found the girl in, possibly her bed?_ John had to reread the last word a couple times to realize he had read it right. She slept in a hole? No wonder she was so pale, he must have kept her in a basement of some sorts, where there was no propper floor. He flipped to the third, this one was of the girl again, of course John didn't realize it at first, she was curled into the smallest ball he had ever seen a person roll into, and she had the raggiest blanket covering her, there were more holes than fabric, he could also tell that what she wore in front of them was the same thing they had found her in. John closed the folder and set it down on a desk close by. "He kept her in a basement?" John finally was able to speak.

"Closet, next to a fireplace. You saw the hole I take it." Sherlock said, much more stiffly than he normally would have, John noticed.

"Yes, I did. You're taking this quite personally Sherlock. You feeling alright?" John asked, trying and failing at hiding the slight amusment that was in his voice.

"Don't be silly John. I'm the same as I ever was." Sherlock said once again taking off his coat and scarf and laying it on the table before straightening up. "You should take yours off as well. She would be safer I believe." Sherlock said nodding to John's coat. Smirking John did as Sherlock said and removed his coat, laying it next to Sherlock's. Sherlock waited until John was standing next to him to open the door.

Lestrade was sitting crouched as Sherlock had been before when he had gotten her to talk, his head turned towards Sherlock and John as the door opened and closed, losing his balance he slipped to the side and fell. "John, what are you doing here?" Lestrade asked.

"Sherlock asked me to come, has she said anything to you while you were down there?" John asked a smile played on his lips.

"Sherlock did it and got her to talk, thought there might have been something to it." Lestrade stood up and walked over to John and shook his hand. "How's Mary?"

"Well, and Mycroft?" John asked sitting in one of the chairs looking over at Miss. Collins.

"Same. Didn't know when Sherlock said Doctor he was still talking about you." Lestrade said, though he did not sound upset about it, in fact he sounded a bit releived.

"Wouldn't think of any other. What were you trying to get her to tell you?" Sherlock asked crouching back down as he did before and making his way over to her.

"I was just trying to get her to tell me more about what went on in that house. I mean she herself is good enough proof he was abusing her, but having a spoken testimony would be much better." Lestrade said sitting back down in one of the chairs.

Sherlock turned back towards Miss. Collins who seemed to remember him, as she didn't cringe or look away, but she didn't release her legs from her chest, keeping them close to her. "Miss. Collins?" Sherlock said softly as he did before, he saw her eyes dart over his face. "I would like you to meet a friend of mine. His name is John." He waved to let John know to come over, not breaking eye contact with Miss. Collins. He heard John do as he did and crouch down and slowly make his way towards them. The entire time Miss. Collins didn't look away from Sherlock just watched him with quiet eyes. As John grew closer she looked over at John and her eyes popped open wide. At first Sherlock thought it was from fear as was going to move John away but she reached out and poked the bushy mustache that had made it's home on his friends lip. "I don't think she's ever seen facial hair before," Sherlock said letting the obvious amusement fill his voice.

"Very funny." John said, not amused. Miss. Collins poked John's mustache again, Sherlock thought she looked as if she was trying to decide if it was alive or not.

"Bug." She said, poking it once again. Sherlock snickered, John shot him a look that could kill.

"Glad you think its funny. Want to get her to stop?"

"You're a big boy." Sherlock remarked. "Can't you get her to stop yourself?"

"She obviously likes you." John said, "She seems to trust you, why I have no clue. Probably because you haven't faked your own death on her yet."

"You really need to bring that up again? Honestly I thought we were past that." Sherlock said with a small roll of his eyes. The girl, catching on to their facial espressions stopped messing with John's mustache and sat back watching them.

"You just think that because you come back and act like nothing happened means it didn't. That everyone was just going to be the same way they were before you left." John said looking over at Sherlock, Miss. Collins followed John's gaze and looked at Sherlock too. "I got married. Married Sherlock." He placed a finger in the air waving it towards Sherlock, Miss. Collins did the same. Neither saw her mocking John as they were too absorbed in dealing with Sherlock's greatest annoyance to John. It was only when Lestrade's laughter brought them out of it that they saw her shaking her finger at Sherlock, a very firm look on her face that matched John's. The tension between Sherlock and John dissapated as they both laughed. Miss. Collins stopped as she saw John was no longer angry at Sherlock and flushed red at being the joke.

Sherlock sat on the ground, crossing his legs and moved so his back was resting against the same wall she was leaning against, he was pleased to see she didn't move away from him. As the three men stopped laughing her face became serious again as she looked at Sherlock. "No hurt." She pointed to John. "Hurt bad." Sherlock couldn't help but smirk at her scolding him. She was quite adorable under the dirt, and still seemed to have kept herself after all the abuse.

"You're in trouble now," John kidded. "She told you off. Hurt bad."

Sherlock nodded looking at Miss. Collins. "Hurt very bad. That's right." He looked over at John. "Hurting people is bad."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hope you are all enjoying the story :) Don't be afraid to leave a review even if it's just telling me to update, hearing from you guys always make my day and it lets me know I'm doing a good job!**

By the end of the week Sherlock was able to get Miss. Collins to sit at the table with him and eat almost half a plate of food. When she could eat no more she lightly pushed the plate away, Sherlock gave her a smile and picked it up and took it out of the room where Lestrade and John had been watching. "She's doing better." Sherlock said crossing his arms and looking in the room through the window John and Lestrade had been.

"We still need to talk about where she's going to go after here." Lestrade said, he had been avoiding the doctors that had been calling him non stop trying to talk him into letting them come and take a look at her, but Sherlock had put his foot down on that idea.

"We have a doctor here already watching her. You bring them in and we are going to lose all the progress we've gained over the past week!" He had whispered harshly. He had just gotten her to sleep in the cot instead of on the floor and was trying not to wake her when Lestrade had come in and told him.

"She can't stay here forever, you know that as well as I do Sherlock." Lestrade said.

"You haven't found any family that she would have?" John asked, not looking at either of them.

"No. We even talked to the Dad... he told us there is no one." He looked away from the window. "The only thing I can think of is the hospital, or the insane asylum."

"What if someone took her in?" Sherlock said after almost five minutes of silence. "Took her in and kept up with doctor visits." He looked back in at Miss. Collins who was still sitting at the table looking at the door Sherlock had gone through.

"What are you trying to say Sherlock?" Lestrade asked looking at the man. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Sherlock didn't look at him. "Is it against the law Lestrade?"

"Well, no. But that person would have to have their home inspected, and cleared by police and a doctor. And they would have to deal with a lot of publicity. More than a certain person would already deal with... And he would have to make sure she was turning into a proper citizen, not someone who might have any aggressive tendencies like her father showed." Lestrade watched Sherlock as though he had never seen someone like him before.

"Do you really think she is capable of doing what her Father did?" Sherlock said, anger dripping in his voice. "Look at her, if she was going to hurt someone she would have done it when we had startled her or scared her. And never once did she lash out. Don't be stupid Lestrade." He walked away from the window going to the door as the look on her face had started to turn to worry as he hadn't come back into the room yet. As he opened the door her face relaxed back into the soft smile that seemed to always grace her face now a days. "You weren't worried were you?" He said softly smiling at her.

She shook her head, "No." But jumped up and hugged him around the middle as she had taken to doing whenever Sherlock came back after leaving for longer than a few minutes. He looked down at her and ran his hand over the top of her hair. She still wasn't willing to leave the room and still hadn't had a shower. She let go of him and walked over sitting down on the cot and holding a book close to her chest. Sherlock had thought she would like something to look at while he was gone and had picked up a few children's books. She had taken to one that had pictures of stars and celestial constellations. Even though it wasn't a children's book, he had still brought it she would sit and listen to Sherlock read the stories to her clutching the book to her chest, he had even taken to calling her something besides Miss. Collins.

"Celeste, would you like to go on a walk with me?" Sherlock asked, he had a plan to at least make leaving the room easier for her when they finally would have to, and after the talk with Lestrade he knew now was a no better time to start. Celeste looked at Sherlock, her head cocked to one side.

"Walk?" She asked, her vocabulary had gotten better, but she was still working on full sentences.

"Yeah." He sat down on the cot next to her. "You see that door?" He pointed to the door, she looked around him at the door a look of concentration took over her face for a moment before she nodded. "Well John is here, you remember John?" He asked. She nodded her head. "He would like to see you, do you want to go see him? He's right on the other side of the door." Sherlock stood and held out his hand towards her and she took it, still holding onto her book. They made their way towards the door, as Sherlock reached for it Celeste tightened her grip on his hand. "It's ok." He whispered tightening his grip on her hand as well. He slowly swung the door open and placed his foot by it so it wouldn't shut. He looked back at Celeste and she was looking from his face to the empty door. "See? It's ok." He took a step towards the door and she copied him.

"John?" She asked quietly as she looked at the door. John took a side step until she could see him. "John!" She said pointing towards John with the hand that held the book. "John, Sherlock!" She said again. Sherlock couldn't help but laugh at the child like reaction.

"Yup, that's John. Do you want to go see him?" Celeste nodded and followed Sherlock up until her feet reached the door frame. She stopped almost as if she had ran into a wall. "Come on, it's ok." Sherlock said taking another step but she didn't budge and let go of his hand.

She looked around, and her eyes landed on a pair of police officers she had never seen and stared at them wide eyed. "Safe?" She whispered.

"You're safe as long as you're with me." Sherlock said as he went back to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'll protect you."

Celeste's dark green eyes looked up into Sherlock's hazel ones and for a moment she lost the look of a child and took on the look of the grown woman she was. "Safe with, Sherlock." She said, also gone was the voice of a child that had graced her voice just moments previously. Still looking into Sherlock's eyes she spoke. "Promise?"

Sherlock stared back down into her eyes, he had never heard her talk like this or seen her in his light. He suddenly became very aware of his skin touching hers and the light electified feeling he felt in the skin that was in contact with hers. He suddenly saw her no longer as a child that needed him, but as a woman who needed him. "I promise." He whispered, his lips barely moving. Celeste smiled, not a full smile that was childish and full of wonder, but a smile that showed her beyond her age and made his stomach flip in a way it never has before.

Celeste reached over and placed the book she was holding on the table outside of the room she had lived in the past couple weeks looking away from Sherlock for only a moment, but he did not let go of her shoulders. He waited for her to look back at him, wanting to know if he had just imagined what he had heard and saw. When she looked back at him she looked the same as before she had looked away. "Sherlock?" She had asked, her voice hadn't changed back to it's previous childish demor either.

"Yea?"

"John." She pointed behind him to where John still stood, watching the two of them as was Lestrade. Sherlock gave his head a small shake and looked back at John who was watching them quietly with a curious look on his face.

"Of course." Sherlock said as he let his hands slip off of her shoulders and fall to his sides. "Go see John." He stepped aside and Celeste reached out grabbing his hand again, his heart drummed in his chest so loud he was surpised no one else heard it.

"WE go see John. Together." She gave him a small smile and tugged him forward. "Always together."


	5. Chapter 5

**So, I know I may not be spot on with charaters but I really believe that Sherlock has a sweet side that takes someone special to bring it out. Just wanted to get that out there :) thank you to everyone who has taken their time to read this and a special thank you to those who have also taken their time to write a review. It really means so much to me, you guys really are the best! **

Sherlock stood off to the side watching Celeste sit at the table and talk to John, she had been out of the room for almost an hour now and he had yet to see her childish demur come back. She sat straighter and seemed to be less of the scared little girl she had been when he first met her, and was more of the woman he was trying to teach her to be. Lestrade came over and stood next to Sherlock not speaking for a few moments just stood watching Sherlock watching Celeste.

"You realize she isn't like a small puppy that you can just adopt and take home don't you?" Lestrade asked finally.

"I never thought she was someone I could just adopt and take home. We've been working towards making her realize she isn't a child haven't we? Well, here is the proof that she's learning right in front of us. Right before she left that room I saw something in her change, and that made up my mind for me." Sherlock turned towards Lestrade. "I want to take her home with me. Back to 221 B. She needs me." He looked back at Celeste and she looked up away from John and gave a small wave to let him know she was ok, not that he needed reassuring.

"What she _needs_ is someone who is willing to take their time with her." Lestrade said.

"And I'm not?" Sherlock said getting a bit offensive. "I've done wonders with her this past week, got her to talk and everything. Why would that change just because I take her home with me?"

"Well, for one she will be there all the time, it won't be like it is here, you get tired and you go home and your all by yourself. She will be there."

"I think about her while I'm gone anyways." Sherlock retorted. As Lestrade opened his mouth Sherlock spoke again, "You can't tell me anything that will make me change my mind so there really isn't a point."

"You still need the police and a doctor to sign off on the living arrangments."

"John will sign off on them, I know he will because he knows. I saw the look in his face. And you won't find a single item that will cause her harm."

"You do realize you still have lots to teach her right? There is going to the bathroom, showering, I don't even want to think about you teaching her about having a period." Lestrade said, getting tired of this.

"Do you really think any of that bothers me? She already knows that she bleeds once a month anyways, it's just teaching her that something goes there to catch it and really Lestrade you act like I'm obilious to everything that doesn't have to do with me. It's an insult."

"Oh you're not? I thought the whole world revolved around Sherlock Holmes." Lestrade said not being able to help himself but grin at the idea of Sherlock teaching Celeste to wear pads. The thought was comical.

"If it once did, it doesn't anymore." Sherlock said leaning against the wall.

"You're really serious about this aren't you?" Lestrade asked.

"I just don't know what it is about her Lestrade. Something about her just clicks. Somehow I just know she and I are meant to go through this together." Lestrade just shook his head and walked away to answer a phone that was ringing. Sherlock watched him go and walked towards John and Celeste sitting down next to her at the table. She leaned backwards and nussled herself against his arm, he sighed at the warmth coming off of her body.

"I was just talking to Miss. Collins about taking a bath. How she would feel much better. Isn't that right Sherlock?" Celeste looked up at Sherlock, he could see in her eyes she wouldn't believe it unless he said so.

Looking down at her he smirked, "It's true. Baths always make me feel better. And new clothes. In fact." Sherlock reached underneath the table and pulled out a bag that John had seen him come in with earlier but didn't ask what was in it. "I have some that might just fit you." He placed the bag on the table and took out a pair of jeans and a dark green t-shirt. "Shall we get you cleaned off and get you into some new clothes?" Celeste looked at the shirt he had pulled out and ran her hands over the top of it.

"For me?" She asked looking at the clothes.

Sherlock nodded. "I hope they fit. They should," He looked down at her letting his eyes look a bit longer than what was needed. "You want to try taking a bath?" Celeste looked down at the clothes and back up at Sherlock again and nodded.

"It safe?" She asked.

"Very. I'll make sure someone is in there with you." John said bringing forth a female police officer who just smiled sweetly at her. Celeste looked from the woman back to Sherlock and shook her head.

"Sherlock." She turned and grabbed his arm.

"Sherlock can't Miss. Collins." John said leaning forward. Celeste back up towards Sherlock.

"John." Sherlock said in a warning tone.

"She needs to learn you can't go everywhere with her."

"John really, it's me." Sherlock said.

"To be honest I don't know what that means anymore Sherlock." John stood up. "I used to think I knew, but I don't."

"What do you think I'm going to do?" Sherlock ran a hand up and down one of her arms.

"I think you're getting too attached to someone who you don't even know. And I don't want to see you get bored, like you will, and just leave this poor girl more confused than she already is."

"I'm not going to just get bored and leave her!" Sherlock shouted, getting angry at the way John was acting. At the rasing of his voice Celeste shrunk away from both men throwing herself at the closest wall and sliding down it, her eyes wide with fear as she watched the two men suddenly stop yelling at look at her.

"Now look what you've done." John said turning away from Sherlock.

"What _I_ did?" Sherlock asked, looking at John. "You're the one who started arguing. If you just let me do what I know is right I wouldn't have yelled and scared her." Sherlock said beating himself up inside for rising to anger so quickly.

"Why do you even care so much about her? What makes her so special?" John asked, still angry.

"She needs me John, why are you not able to see that?"

"Other people needed you too, she isn't the first." John said, Sherlock seemed to realize what this was about.

"John, I told you I was sorry for not being able to tell you. It was all part of the plan, I wasn't expecting to be gone for two years!"

"Yeah well you'd think you could have at least told me." John said still not looking at him.

"I wanted you to have plausible denyability. You act like I didn't think it out. I didn't go up there knowing I was going to do what I did. So stop acting like you were the one who had to pretend to be dead while watching your best friend fall in love with a woman and not be there to talk to him when you two fought! I saw all the times you went to my grave talking to me. I heard everything, you think it was so hard thinking I was dead you didn't have to listen to your best friend have problems and the only they want to do is talk to you and you can't help. Don't pretend you were the only person who had a hard time." Sherlock said with the calmist voice he could manage, he didn't want to scare Celeste anymore than she already was.

John wished he would yell again, listening to him talk so calmly made him feel worse. He knew it wasn't a cake walk for Sherlock either, but that still didn't mean he was going to forgive him so quickly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Well, I don't really have much to say, glad you guys are enjoying the story! **

John gathered up a few papers stuffing them quickly into his bag, he was done running off and helping Sherlock. He had a life and wasn't going to set it aside just because Sherlock was back. As he pulled the strap of his bag over his shoulder Sherlock slipped a paper in front of him. John glanced at it, "I'm not signing it." He said turning away.

"You know this is the right thing to do John, you've never turned away from the right thing before, why start now?" John sighed turning around he snatched up the paper and read over it a couple times before placing it down.

"You really think taking her home with you is going to fix everything don't you?"

"I think it's the best thing for her, yes." Sherlock said looking down at John.

"I'm not signing it." John turned away. "Because I think it's the right thing." And with that he turned and walked out of Scotland Yard.

It had taken longer than normal, but Sherlock had gotten Lestrade to take him to her Father, Mr. Collins. "I just want to ask him something. Maybe figure a few things out that you can't, you know I can." Sherlock followed Lestrade around the station for almost two hours before he had finally cracked.

"Fine! But you better tell me what you _really_ want to see him for, I've known you too long Sherlock, I know you're up to something."

"John wouldn't sign the papers I needed him to." Sherlock said, a hint of disgust in his voice.

"As I figured he wouldn't. So what, you want to see if you can get the Father to sign them? Sherlock this man abused her for years, what makes you think you can get him to give enough of a damn to sign them?" Lestrade asked as he grabbed some keys and started off towards a part of Scotland Yard he hadn't been to before, where they kept people awaiting trial. Sherlock followed Lestrade for about 20 minutes past a couple other cells until he stopped outside of one set away from everyone else. Sherlock didn't need to ask if this was the right one, he could tell by the look on Lestrade's face that they were there. "I'll be out here," Lestrade said as he unlocked the door and let Sherlock pass through.

As the door behind him he turned towards the only person that was in there besides him, Mr. Collins sat on the cot that matched the one Celeste was sleeping on. "Mr. Collins. My name is Sherlock Holmes. I've come to talk to you about your daughter."

"What about her? Did she finally kick it? Wouldn't be surprised, been a fuckin' idiot since her Mum died. She used to be brilliant. Could've gone places that girl." He seemed to not realize he was speaking aloud.

"What do you mean?" Sherlock said, "You mean she hasn't always been... this way?"

"Didn' I jus' say tha' boy? She graduated top of her class she did. Even go' acep'ed to college at 16! She was all done wi'h school by the age 'o 15. Smart girl." He murmured, Sherlock leaned against the back of the wall.

"What happened to her? Was she in an accident?" There had to be a reason.

"Could say tha'." He scratched his scruffy beard as though thinking. "Hasn' been righ' since 'er Mum died ya see. She was 20 whe' it 'appened. I walked in on 'er Mum with ano'her man, killed em both, well, I didn' know she wa' home. She was always a good girl..." He spoke as if he was talking about the weather outside. "Well, she had jus' walked in as I took my ax outta his 'ead you see, blood 'verywhere, had to use more bleach 'han I'd ever seen in my life 'fore, and she screamed. Well I couln' jus' let 'er walk on ou'. So i grabbed 'er around the neck and knocked 'er out with the end of me ax and tied 'er up. Locked 'er up nice and tigh' in the cubbard nex' 'o the fireplace. Figure'd she'd be warm at leas'. Fed 'er once 'very couple days." He leaned back as if he hadn't said anything. "I miss tha' ax." He looked at Sherlock as though nothing had just happened. "You alrigh' 'here? You look sick. Like you seen a ghost you 'ave. But I 'spose tha's not why yer here, somethin about Celeste?"

"Wait." Her name brought him back to what he was doing there in the first place. "What did you call her?"

"Celeste, 'er Mum named 'er. Always was a star freak. You were 'ere for somethin' weren' ya?" He leaned forward watching Sherlock as though he had never seen someone like him before.

"I was wanting you to sign this. It's about Celeste." He held out the paper towards Mr. Collins who took it and read it over. "We have someone who wants to take her in, and we need you to sign it. Giving her up for good. You'll have nothing to do with her, you will not be allowed to contact her, ever." He emphasised the last word to let him know it was final.

"Give me a pen, I'll sign it alrigh'. Take 'er to the damn loony bin 'or all I care." He signed the bottom of the paper and threw both the paper and the pen back at Sherlock. "Wher'ver you send 'er I hope its worst 'han where she came from. She was gonna tell on me, 'bout wha' I did to 'er Mum and tha' man. Wha' kind of daugh'er tells on 'er own Da'?"

"A good one." Sherlock said picking up the pen and paper. As he reached the door Mr. Collins spoke again.

"You 'ooked surprised when I 'old you 'er name. Wha' 'ave you been callin' 'er?"

"Celeste. I was just merly surprised at the coininsidence. She took to a book about stars, that's why I called her that. Good to know her personality fits her name." Sherlock said taking another step towards the door.

"I 'ope she rots in 'ell I do. She gave me 'his." He turned his head to the side where a long white scar ran down the side of his face, from the temple down to his chin. "Go' hold of a broke' tile piece. I taugh' 'er good af'er tha' I did." He grinned a wicked grin. "Made 'er drink bleach. She's lucky she can talk she is. Good day Mr. Holmes."


	7. Chapter 7

**Ok, so I know the last chapter was a tad dark, but then again it is rated M for a reason! I thought it was time we met Celeste's Dad and got a bit more back story on her. Thank you guys for following and favoriting, feel free to spread the story if you have other that you think would like it! Thank you guys again so much! (And yes, I ship Mystrade :) )**

As Lestrade opened the door so Sherlock could leave, he pretended to ignore the pale look Sherlock had about his face. "Did you hear all of that?" Sherlock asked handing the paper and pen over to the DI.

Lestrade pulled a recorder out of his pocket Sherlock hadn't known was there. "Every bit of it, thank you." He pulled it out and pressed the stop button so it would stop recording. "So, do you still feel the same way about her now that you know she's just lost it?" Lestrade asked as they made their way back to Lestrade's office and the color slowly returned to Sherlock's face.

"I don't see a reason why it should change my feelings." Sherlock said straightening up.

Lestrade looked Sherlock over, "Talked to your brother last night."

"I don't need to hear about your pillow talk." Sherlock said as they rounded a corner.

"He was surprised when I told him you've been here every day for almost the past month. Why haven't you told him why you've been here he's been worried about you."

"Mycroft does not worry about me, he worries that I am up to something to ruin his reputation. And I assumed you would tell him eventually, that way he knows what I am doing but I don't have to actually talk to him the end result is the same." Sherlock said brushing off some dust that had come to rest on his shirt sleeve.

"I'm not your postmen, you want him to know something you call him and tell him. You assume that just because I'm... well," Lestrade flushed red.

"You think that I assume that because you are seeing my brother romantically that I can pass him updates about my whereabouts without talking to him? I assume nothing, I know that whatever you two talk about involves me at some point so I know that you will eventually tell him that you saw me and what I was doing. It's very predictable human nature Lestrade." They walked into Lestrade's office and Sherlock continued to stand as Lestrade sat in his chair hooking the recorder up to his computer, muttering something about "stupid Holmes". "I assume that paper gives me the right to remove her from the room correct?"

"Thought you didn't assume anything?" Lestrade mocked him.

"I'll take that as a yes. Would you like to take us back to Baker Street or am I taking a cab with her?" Sherlock watched at Lestrade stood up and walked towards the room Celeste was in, they both looked into the room via the one way mirror to find her still asleep, clutching the book.

"We could sedate her. It would make moving her easier." Lestrade muttered.

"I refuse to have to knock her out whenever I have to take her somewhere, just because it's easier doesn't mean it's right." Sherlock sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "She will be fine as long as we take our time with her. I'm going in first." He pulled himself away from watching her sleep and walked into the room. As it clicked shut Celeste sat up quickly the book clutched in her hand as if she was prepared to use it to protect herself. "It's just me," Sherlock said softly raising his hands to show her he didn't have anything. He looked her over, really taking her in. Before he had seen her as for who he wanted her to be, someone who needed help, he didn't care if it was his she needed or not, he just wanted to help someone again.

She looked him over as well, her eyes falling on his face at last. "Sherlock?" She asked quietly placing the book down she stood and walked over towards him, he placed a hand on her hip. She had taken a shower at last and one of the female officers that she had allowed to get close enough to her had brushed out her hair. It was dark brown, almost black with a light red tint to it, like her Father's beard. She was very pale, but he chalked that up to being locked in a cubbard for almost 6 years. She also wore the clothes he had bought her, they fit her to a "T". Her dark green eyes shined out from under her eyelashes a question he couldn't read played upon them and his heart fluttered when she blinked. Her face was dotted with scars here and there, he had no clue if they were self inflicted or caused by her father. His fingers traced a long one that ran down the side of her neck stopping just before it reached her jugular. "Sherlock?" She whispered his name again bringing him out of his thoughts. "You gone long."

"I went to go get stuff ready for you." He spoke a bit louder than he needed, "I've arraged for you to come live with me for a while. Would you like that Celeste?" He asked, for some reason it felt strange speaking her name now, knowing it was just another thing linking her to her past.

Celeste stared at him for a moment before looking around the room again. "Live, you?" She asked, her voice gave a small quiver as though it would break, going back to the small child voice she had first spoken to him in, but it held fast.

"Yes, would you want to? I mean, you can't live in the police station forever and I have an extra bed, you'd have your own room. We- you could be happy again." Sherlock caught himself, knowing everything he was saying Lestrade could hear.

Celeste took a step back from him and walked over to the wall where she ran a finger along the wall, he could tell she was thinking. "Happy... with Sherlock?" She turned back towards him looking into his eyes, "Forever?" The words hung in the air like streamers.

He looked into her eyes and saw the answer sitting there, the same answer that hung on his lips. "For as long as you want." Celeste smiled and flung herself towards Sherlock her arms wrapped around his waist, her head rested on his chest, listening to his heart hammer against his chest. Sherlock relaxed and his hands went back to her hips without thinking about it. "We're leaving soon, ok? Grab your books." His hand reached towards her hair but stopped as she spun around picking up the books that were scattered across her cot. She was placing them in a neat pile when Lestrade walked in.

Celeste turned towards the door and watched Lestrade walk in, "Leaving." She smiled. "Sherlock home." She pointed towards Sherlock and went back to her small pile of books.

"You sure about this Sherlock?" Lestrade asked again.

"I'm sure." He said and walked over to her to take the books for her.


	8. Chapter 8

**So, Sherlock is taking Celeste home with him! Will the change of surroundings jog Celeste's memory? Or is she doomed to be stuck like this forever? We will just have to see together!**

Getting Celeste to come out of the room had been the easy part, when they had gotten to the front doors she froze. Sherlock had her by the hand but she wouldn't move. "Come on Celeste," He turned towards her and bent over a bit so he was looking her in the eyes, a feat which made his stomach lurch forwards. "You want to come home with me don't you?" He asked, Celeste gave a soft nod. "Well, to get home we have to get a quick ride from Lestrade. It's not going to hurt I promise." He squeezed both of her hands when he said the last word. Celeste stared into his eyes, he saw the fear wanting to peak out from behind them. "I'll be right with you the entire time."

"No let go?" She whispered, people walked past giving them strange stares.

"I wouldn't think about it." He cupped the side of her face and smiled she watched him for a moment longer before giving him a weak smile and nod back. Sherlock stood back up straight and took a step out the door, Celeste clinging to his hand with one of hers, shielding herself from the sun with the other as they made their way outside. While her eyes adjusted Lestrade walked towards his car and started it, Celeste gave a small jump when the the engine roared to life, but didn't run. Sherlock slowly led her towards the car and opened the door to the back seat. Celeste looked from the seat to Sherlock and back to the seat she took one last look at Sherlock before taking in a deep breath and sliding into the seat moving all the way towards the opposite door, her hand still clung to one of Sherlock's. Sherlock nodded to Lestrade and climbed in the back next to her, she scooted closer towards him gripping his arm with both of hers staring into his face. He patted her on the leg and spoke softly to her as Lestrade pulled out into traffic.

Celeste tore her eyes away from his and let them flicker over each store and person as they passed them. At one point she even let go of Sherlock's hand to turn her full attention to the street. Sherlock sat back and watched her, a small smile played upon his lips as he watched her facial espressions change so quickly from excited to surprised to horror as a double decker bus went barlling past them she had jumped backwards from her window almost throwing herself into Sherlock's lap before regaining herself and pressing her face to the window again to watch the bus drive away. When they finally arrived at 221 Baker Street, Celeste had fallen asleep, bored from watching the cars, her head rested against Sherlock's shoulder as her body twitched aginst his. Lestrade put the car in park and turned it off twisting around in his seat to look at Sherlock.

"We're here." His eyes drifted towards Celeste. "Why do you think she twitches like that when she sleeps?"

"I would think it's a survival instint, after so many years of fear not wanting to sleep I would think her body does it naturally to try to wake herself up. She'll probably do it for the rest of her life." He felt the stab of anger press into his stomach and her Father's voice echoed in his head. He shook his head and looked down at Celeste, he softly tapped her on the leg. "Celeste. We're here." He gentally moved his shoulder as her eyes fluttered open, quickly looking around before her eyes found Sherlock's. "You ready to see your new home?" Her eyes narrowed as she bent down to look past him at the door of 221.

She reached down and grabbed his hand, he squeezed her hand as he looked into her face. "Yes." She said softly watching him open the door, holding tight to him as he scooted out of the back of the car, Celeste quickly following.

Lestrade peaked his head out of the window. "You good?"

Sherlock looked down at her hand in his and couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I think I am."

"Here are her books," He said holding out a baggy. Before Sherlock could reach out and take them Celeste did it with her free hand.

"Books!" She said, clearly excited holding up the bag.

"Books." Sherlock said holding himself back from wanting to lean forward and kiss her on the forehead. "Thank you Lestrade." Lestrade waved a hand out of the window to show he heard as he drove off. Sherlock and Celeste turned away from the street looking at the door for 221. "You ready for this?" He looked down at Celeste who squeezed his hand like he did hers to reasure her of something.

"Ready." She said sweetly. "You ready?" She asked back, showing she saw the small amount of worry that must have shown on his face.

"I'm ready." He walked forward, opening the door and leading her up the stairs into the flat.

As Sherlock shut the door behind him he felt Celeste let go of his hand, yelling "John!" Sherlock spun around facing John who now had Celeste hugging him around the neck. "Sherlock, John!" She gave him another hug around the neck which he returned.

"Hello Celeste." She let go to walk around the flat. "See you still don't listen." John said as both watched her.

"When have I ever?" Sherlock said, trying to hide the small joy that John was there although he knew his presance brought no good will.

"You really think this is going to work don't you? Sherlock Holmes, the know it all." John stood. "Why don't you listen to me for once?"

"John, if I knew you were right I would," Sherlock tore his eyes away from watching Celeste inspect the skulll atop the fireplace. "I just happen to know you are wrong this time."

"How did you get the access for her to come home with you? Fordged my signature I bet."

"I did no such thing." Sherlock said, he had thought of that but decided against it wanting to use it only as a last resort. "I got her Father to sign."

This came as a surprise to John who quickly lowered his voice. "Her _Father_? Are you mad?"

"Apparently. He signed it, after he told me somethings that I can use to help her. If I have the right Doctor..." He went back to watching Celeste as she crossed the room to the windows and began looking out of one.

"What did he tell you?" John asked intreaged.

"I think that's something only her Doctor should know about. I was going to tell him." Sherlock said, an air of superiority hung between them.

"Oh come off it, I know you haven't found someone else. I'm still her Doctor..." He let the words hang for a moment. "You dragged me into this, you can't just expect me to leave because we had a row."

"You used to leave all the time after we would argue."

"Yeah, well this is different isn't it? This time we aren't the only people involved."

"Are you apologizing?" She moved from the window walking towards the kitchen, Sherlock had taken care to clean up his experiments so there was nothing there, not even a head in the fridge.

"Are you?"

"I see no reason to." Sherlock said moving to the side so he could keep her in sight. "We both fought over what we thought was the right thing, I see in no way which way either of us were wrong." He glanced over at John's face who was still watching Celeste.

"So what did her Dad say?" John said after a few moments, Sherlock smirked, he knew John wouldn't have been able to resist for long. He knew John was going to show up, just not when.


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm loving the feedback for this people! I'm just so glad you guys are liking it!**

Sherlock made some tea while Celeste hovered around him watching him, "Doing?" She asked. Looking down at the tea in his hands she looked back into his face. "Tea John?" She turned pointing to John.

"Yes, this is for John." Sherlock was trying hard not to laugh as he followed her bouncing into the sitting room where John sat. She sat at on the floor next to the chair that he had been sitting in and waited while he handed John the tea and sat down himself. John looked down at it. "Something wrong?" He asked.

"The last time you made me tea it was laced with some kind of drugs that made me see a great ruddy beast." John looked up. "So forgive me if I'm weary at what you give me." The ends of his lips twitched in a short but small smile.

"No drugs, I promise." Sherlock took a sip of his tea as did John. "I did add some bettle dropping though, can you tell?" His face shonen serious as John looked down in his tea in horror and spit what was in his mouth out.

"Sherlock!"

"I was kidding!" Sherlock said a satisfied smirk on his face. Celeste said nothing but quickly got up, running into the kitchen where she grabbed a rag and started cleaning up the tea that had been spit out onto the floor. "Celeste, no, it's ok." He reached for the rag but Celeste pulled it out of his reach sinking to the floor where she cleaned up the mess.

"I clean." She smiled. "I good clean." She walked back into the kitchen where she rang out the rag into the sink.

"So her Father said she hasn't always been like this huh?" John took another sip of the tea, " I suppose it makes sense. She was a really quick learner when we were getting her to talk. Her vocabulary almost exploded very suddenly."

"He said she graduated from school at 15. 15 John! I could have done so, but I was too busy running around and missed out on a lot of class." Sherlock waved a hand as though silly things like school were unimportant.

"Amazing... did he say when she went like this?"

"He said he walked in on her Mum with another man and she walked in and lost it. Knocked her out with the ax he used and locked her in the cubbard." Sherlock set down his now empty glass. "Do you think we will be able to get her back to herself? From what he told me she's been like this for about six years now."

"It might take some doing, but I think with lots of help we should be able to get her right." John leaned back watching Celeste as she started cleaning the kitchen counters.

"Dirty Sherlock." She muttered as she started scrubbing the side of the fridge.

Sherlock stood up shaking his head with a small smirk on his lips as he walked towards her. "Celeste, it's ok, it always looks like this." He placed his hands on her shoulders. She stopped cleaning and turned a bit looking up at him, he reached down and grabbed the rag from her hand his face came within inches of hers and only when he felt her breath tickle his ear did he realize how close they were. His head tilted sideways a bit looking into her eyes. They both seemed to be frozen, staring at one another, their faces inches apart Sherlock swore he could hear her heart beating fast and hard. The thought if she could feel his rushed through his head. Behind him John cleared his throat making both Sherlock and Celeste jump.

"You two alright?" John asked, watching them. Celeste put the rag into the sink looking away from Sherlock. "Sherlock?" John said his name again, Sherlock was still watching Celeste as she took her time at the sink. "Sherlock." John said his name again, this time bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Hm?" He said looking away towards John.

"I was going to head home. I'm sure Mary is wondering where I am." He looked at the clock. "You going to be alright?"

"Fine, I'm fine." Sherlock said looking back over at Celeste who had turned back towards him. "Yeah, of course you should get home. Feel free to stop by anytime tomorrow. I assume you want to start as soon as possible?"

John nodded walking in and setting his cup on the counter. "Yeah, I'll be round about 3?"

"Yeah, 3 is fine." Sherlock said looking back over at John. This was the first time they both had been back at 221 since Sherlock had come back and it was strange to know he wasn't going to the room that used to be his, but instead leaving to go to another building.

"Well, night then. G'night Celeste." He gave her a small wave and she walked over to him.

"John leave?"

"Yes, I'm going to go home." He nodded. "But I will be back tomorrow. I promise."

Celeste once again flung her arms around his neck. "Ok. Tomorrow." She let go seeing Sherlock's cup still sitting next to his chair she walked over and picked it up taking it back into the kitchen.

Sherlock walked towards the door but John stopped him. "It's alright, I know where the door is. I'll see you both tomorrow." He opened the door. "Oh, and Sherlock?" John said before leaving.

"Yes John?"

"Take care of yourself ok?"

"Of course." Sherlock said.

"And her. She desurves it." He gave a small nod of his head towards Celeste who was busy cleaning the cups. "She trusts you, don't ruin it."

"I wouldn't dream of it John."

John smiled. "I know you wouldn't." And with the shut of the door he was gone.

Sherlock watched the door for a few momments longer waiting to see if John was going to reappear, but when he finally decided he wasn't he heard a small yawn from behind him. Turning around he saw Celeste with a hand to her mouth and the other one in the air streching. "Tired?" He asked, he didn't realize that him and John had talked to long, it was almost midnight, no wonder John wanted to show up at three. Celeste nodded. "Come on, I'll show you where you're sleeping." He held out his hand and she took it following him to John's old room. He had gone out and bought more clothes for her, he had set out a pair of pjs on the bed. She let go of his hand walking over towards the bed and picking up the pj pants. They were black with different coolored owls all over and the top was a black cami with a large white owl on the front.

Celeste turned around holding both in her hands and looked at Sherlock. "For me?"

Sherlock nodded. "Yeah. I bought them for you. Do you like them? I thought you might be an owl fan..." A tear fell down Celeste's cheek onto the clothes in her hands. Sherlock rushed forward wiping it away. "I didn't mean to upset you... Shh... it's alright."

"Sherlock too nice..." She gave a small sniff. "Too nice..."

"Hey, you desurve it." He wiped away another tear that ran down her face. "Do you like them?" She nodded. "Then put them on. I'm going to wait outside." He turned and waited outside the door for a few moments before he heard her call him. He opened the door and stopped dead in his tracks, the pjs fit tighter than he had expected them to, he supposed that was the purpose to them, but he hadn't expected them to have such an effect on him. His eyes traveled up her body slowly, and he felt himself give a small throb as he reached her eyes.

She tilted her head to the side, "They ok?" She asked.

"Perfect." Sherlock murmered shaking his head. "Do you like them?" She nodded her head up and down making her breasts jiggle Sherlock tried not to notice, after all he didn't get these kind of feelings... did he? Once again he shook the thoughts from his head as though they were flys buzzing around. "I'm going to show you where I will be so if you need me you can find me ok?" She nodded aagain and stepped forward taking his hand. He led her out into the hall and down to the last door on the left and opened it. "I'll be in here should you need me for anything. And in here." He opened the door between their rooms, "Is the bathroom. Got it?" She nodded, he was starting to wish she wouldn't but another part of him didn't want her to. He walked her back to her room, "Ready to go to sleep?"

She nodded with a yawn, reaching up on her tippy toes she kissed Sherlock on the check. As she pulled away the spot stayed warm. "Night Sherlock." She murmered sleepily as she crawled into bed. Sherlock stood for a bit longer as he watched her roll over seeming to pass out right then and there. He turned towards the door, and with another look back he shut the light off on her sleeping form.

He walked back to his room, feeling as tired as she did, it had been a very long day and he hadn't slept for the past week. He qucikly changed into a pair of grey sweat pants leaving a shirt off flopped onto his bed with a long sigh. Reaching up to the small lamp that sat besides his bed he turned off the light hoping to sink into sleep as quickly as she had done, but for some reason sleep wouldn't come. He tossed and turned for almost 20 minutes, just as he was thinking of sitting up and turning on his light to read he heard his door open. "Sherlock?" Celeste's voice was a soft whisper.

He sat up in the dark. "Celeste? Are you ok?" He heard her walk towards him until he felt her crawl onto the bed next to him.

"Can't sleep." She said softly.

"Are you scared?"

"No..." She said, but he didn't believe her, and he was sure she didn't believe herself either. Before Sherlock could speak she had slipped herself under the blankets with him and laid down next to him. Sherlock looked down at her he saw her eyes shine in the dark looking back at him. "Sleep here?" Her voice was the quietest he had ever heard her speak before, but at the same time it made his heart leap into his throat.

"Of course you can." Sherlock said after a bit, lowering himself down next to her, scooting over towards the side closest to him to give her plenty of room. They laid there for a few minutes before he heard her breathing become heavy and regular. He felt her roll over and looked she was now facing him instead of the door, her face relaxed and one hand tucked under her head, the other one cluthed under her chin her arm resting inbetween her breasts. Sherlock carefully turned on his side, not wanting to wake her in case she was a light sleeper but she stayed asleep. As the moon peaked out from behind a cloud he could see her face perfectly. Her hands twitched in her sleep and her mouth twitched at the sides. Without thinking he slipped a couple of fingers into her hand that rested under her chest and she closed her fist around them, the twitching softened but didn't stop completly. His body relaxed, he hadn't even been aware he had been holding his breath but he slowly let it out. She reached out, letting go of his fingers and rested her arm on his side. His stomach did a flip at the skin on skin contact. She must have felt his warmth for she moved closer to him nuzzling up right into his chest the free hand that had reached out made a small fist at his back as she let out a sigh and remained still.

Sherlock doesn't remember when he fell asleep that night, all he remembers was that it was the best night's sleep he had in a long time.


	10. Chapter 10

**Ok, so I know the last chapter was a lot longer than the others had been, but I really got into something and just didn't want to stop! But anyways I hope you liked the ending I thought it was adorable! And by the way, we reached over 1,000 views guys! That is just awesome to me! You all seriously have NO idea what that means for me! Thank you alll so so so so so much!**

When Sherlock awoke late that following morning he took in a deep breath the smell of flowery shampoo filled his nostrils and his eyes fluttered open. At first he couldn't think of why Celeste was in the same bed as him nor did he remember falling asleep but as it slowly came to him he smiled into her hair and pulled her closer to him, her grip tightened around his waist. As he looked down he saw she had her legs wrapped around one of his and one of his hands was resting on the back of her head the other draped genitally over her waist his hand resting on her lower back. He looked back down at her face and rested his lips against her forehead as he placed a soft kiss. _I could do this for the rest of my life._ Sherlock thought to himself. He had yet to notice John standing at the door of his bedroom watching them.

John had been early, thinking that Sherlock was surely awake by now in fact besides the time he had been drugged he didn't think he had actually seen Sherlock sleep before. John leaned against the door frame watching for a few moments longer, wondering if he should ruin Sherlock's happy moment. Part of him wanted to, to suddenly break him from the happy moment he was having like he did to him, but the other part, a much smaller part, wanted to just let him lay there with her after all, he's only ever seen Sherlock smile like that when he was on a case. Looking down at his watch John saw it was almost one, he couldn't let Sherlock lay in bed all day, well he could, but he wasn't about to. Standing straight he cleared his throat just loud enough for Sherlock to hear him, not wanting to wake both of them.

Sherlock froze as he heard someone clear their throat his eyes peaked over the top of Celeste's hair meeting John's eyes. John was smirking, so not mad, or maybe mad, his eyes held more amusement instead of anger, how long had he been standing there? John placed a finger to his lips to signal Sherlock to keep quiet and he slipped out of the room leaving Sherlock and a still sleeping Celeste alone.

Moving carefully and quietly Sherlock got dressed leaving Celeste to sleep and went into the sitting room where John was sitting in the same chair he had been last night. They stared at each other for a few moments before John broke the silence. "So, that was an rare sight." The smirk still sat on his lips.

"She came in last night saying she couldn't sleep." Sherlock said, not knowing why he felt the need to explain himself, John didn't seem mad or upset. "How long were you standing there?"

"About half and hour. I was wondering when one of you would wake up." John stood up, the strange smirk still sat on his face. "So is that what you like then? Someone who's gone and lost her marbles?"

"What are you talking about?" Sherlock asked, not liking where this was going.

"You heard me, here I always thought you were too good for the things the rest of us enjoy but really you have weaknesses just like the rest of us." His face relaxed a bit and the smile he was used to seeing on John's face returned. "I've never actually seen you sleep before, besides the time Irene drugged you that is, or seen you smile like that, at anyone. And I guess I was just shocked at first but it's really nice to see that you've found something besides cases, dead bodies, drugs, and faking your death to make you happy."

"I didn't need those things because I wasn't happy. I needed them because I was bored."

"Well, either way, it's good to see you actually have someone. It might make the transition easier for her when she does get her memory back." John said. They heard movement above as Celeste who seemed to have woken up, was moving about.

"I'm going to make sure she's alright." Sherlock said dashing back up the stairs.

"Put some clothes on while you're at it!" John shouted after him.

As Sherlock came around the corner he could see the the tips of Celeste's hair whip around the corner of the door that led to the bathroom. He took a few long strides down to the door and peaked his head in the door way. Celeste was messing with the knobs on the bath. She twisted the cold tap over a third of the way then twisted the hot tap all the way over, he watched as she waited a few moments before carefully sticking her hand under the running water deciding she liked the temperature it was at she reach in and put the plug in the drain letting the tub fill up with water to about six inches below the brim when she turned off the water. She stood up and was reaching for the base of her top to take it off when Sherlock spoke making her jump and almost fall into the tub. "It's ok! Sorry, I uh, just wanted to let you know John's here and me and him will be downstairs." He said this all quite quickly as he rushed forward to help her up. "Are you alright?" Celeste nodded smiling up at him.

"Thank you." She said her voice still heavy with sleep she rubbed one of her eyes. "Bath." She said pointing. "You go." She walked him to the bathroom door shutting it behind him with a click telling him she locked it. He couldn't help but chuckle.

By the time he got dressed and got back into the sitting room where John was still sitting, John had helped himself to making some tea and turning on the telly flipping through channels. As Sherlock entered he turned his head towards him, "Oh, about time. Thought you went back to bed or something. Where's Celeste?"

"Taking a bath. She told me out and locked the door." John laughed.

"Already telling you what to do huh? I like her more and more. Who knows she might just be good for you Sherlock." John held out a second cup of tea. "Cuppa?"

"Yes, thank you." Sherlock took it standing close by the stairs in case Celeste called for help, only paying half attention to what John was talking about, something about Mary and a show she had gotten him fond of. When he heard foot steps behind him he turned around the cup of tea half way to his lips as Celeste came down them her hair still wet from the bath and wearing a pair of dark blue jeans that flaired out at the bottom and a black T-Shirt with a light blue heart that rested over her ribs. "I was starting to think you were never coming down." Sherlock said looking her up and down.

She simply smiled walking over and placing a small quick kiss on the side of his lower jaw before pulling away to walk over and hug John. John gave her a quick one arm hugged back, "Sleep well?" He asked she nodded. "Thats good." Celeste looked down at her stomach and walked over towards the kitchen opening the fridge and began to fry up some eggs and sasuage, within a few minutes the entire flat smelled heavenly. She brought down three plates and put two eggs on two of the three plates, only one on the third, the same going with the sasuage. She grabbed a couple of forks and brought Sherlock and John the plates with the most food, not saying anything as she walked back into the kitchen grabbing the plate with the least amount and sat down at the table and began to eat. Sherlock at John looked at each other as John took a bite. "Well, they're done. And really good." He took another bite as Sherlock nibbled at his, it was good, but it bothered him that she took the least amount instead of more like she clearly needed.

Sherlock walked over to the table and made to push the extra sasuage onto her plate but she stopped him. "Eat." She simply said with a smile finishing the last bit that was on her plate before placing it in the sink and walking into the sitting room taking the now empty plate from John. As she passed Sherlock who hadn't moved she looked back at him nudging him in the arm. "Eat." She said again before walking over to the sink and washing her and John's dishes.

"Celeste, you really should be the one eating." He pushed his plate towards her again but she held up her hand.

"Full." She patted her stomach. "You eat." She went back to washing the plates.

"Sherlock, can I talk to you about something?" John asked, he could tell Sherlock wasn't going to back down.

"Not now John. Celeste you need to eat more than just-"

"Sherlock!" John raised his voice Celeste tensed up, her hands stopped moving in the middle of rising off a plate. "Now. It's important."

Sherlock looked at Celeste who was still tensed up, her shoulders ridgid staring unblinking into the sink as the water washed down the drain. "Celeste..." He reached a hand out towards her and for the first time she shyed away from his touch.

"John, talk." She pointed towards John. "I fine." She looked quickly at him not meeting his eyes. "Go." She gave him an empty smile.

He reached towards her again as John spoke, "Sherlock, for once in your life just listen to me." Sherlock sighed his arm raised halfway between him and Celeste as he let it drop next to him as he set his plate down and walked over to John.

"What?" He almost spat at him.

"First off, let her eat however much or little she wants, you can't make her rush anything." John scolded, Sherlock felt like he was back in school being talked at by a teacher. "Secondly, do not push yourself on her. You want her to trust us, which means we have to stop yelling at each other."

"You were the one shouting." Sherlock pointed out.

"Because you don't listen. Now listen you want her to get better, not worse. Just let her be and let her get into a rountine of her own. You have to remember we don't know what all happened to her and we don't need to set her off." John looked around Sherlock at Celeste who was placing the clean and dried plates into the cabinet. "Whatever we have against each other needs to stop, at least around her."

Sherlock looked back watching her out of the corner of his eye, "Fine." He said after a few moments. "But that means you can't be shouting whenever I don't listen."

"Fine." They gave each other some dirty looks before either spoke again.

"So, where are we going to start with her?" Sherlock asked.

"Well, I was thinking that we would see where she needs work on, she can obviously bathe herself and dress herself, I would start with keeping up with expanding her vocabulary and get her to talk in sentances. Maybe even start to try and talk to her about her life before her Father went crazy." John said the last part watching Sherlock's face carefully for the reaction.

"You really think we should even talk about that with her? I thought we were trying to help her not scar her worse."

"We will need to bring it up eventually, but for now I really see no reason to do so. We can't protect her from it forever. She has to come to terms with it evetually." John said, Sherlock sighed.

"I know... I just, don't want to if we don't have to..."

"What? Are you just hoping one day she will wake up and remember everything?" John said shaking his head, "I'm not going to lie to you, it could happen, but it's exreamly rare. And gets rarer by the day. Either she will, or she wont. That's what it comes down to."

Sherlock looked back at John, he had only seen John look like this once before when they had invegsigated Baskervile, and he knew then, even if he didn't know before, that John would always tell him the entire truth even when he didn't need to hear it. "Alright." Sherlock said walking over towards Celeste, she watched him for a moment her body tensed again but relaxed as he stopped next to the plate and placed the last few bites into his mouth. "Better?" He asked her, she smiled at him a real smile and walked over to him.

He thought for a second she was going to hug him but instead she took the plate from his hands looking up at him said, "Thank you Sherlock." she turned back to the sink and started to clean it when she stopped because Sherlock had stepped up next to her reaching his hand into the sink taking the plate from her she looked up at him surprised.

"You go have a sit down and talk with John. I've got this." She stared at him, at a loss of words. "Go on," He nudged her out of the way taking over. She stood there for a moment longer watching him a small look of surprise and happiness upon it.

"Why?" She asked.

Sherlock stopped drying his hands off before turning towards her, placing one hand on her hip one on her cheek as he pressed his lips to her forehead pulling away just far enough to mumble. "Because, you are not a slave." He felt a single tear hit the side of his hand that rested on her cheek.


	11. Chapter 11

**Again, if you guys don't like the longer chapter I apologize, but I just can't help like making them longer! **

John was over almost every day except on the weekends, before Sherlock knew it Celeste had lived with him for over a month and as the cool wind of October took over the warm August air Celeste was making wonderful progress even talking in full sentences. She had slept in her own bed since that first night, which meant that Sherlock had gone back to little to no sleep. One Friday night after John had left him and Celeste were sitting in the sitting room the fireplace going, Sherlock sitting on the couch clicking away on his computer, Ariana in the chair John normally sat in immersed in a book. She glanced up at him from her book and saw Sherlock sitting there the bags under his eyes had become more and more prominate over the past few days. Reaching over she slipped a bookmark in her book and softly walked over to Sherlock ploping down next to him.

He didn't look up, "Hows your book?"

"Fine." She leaned on him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Are you tired?"

"No, I'm fine." He lied.

"You're full of it you know?" She moved so she was sitting on her knees facing him. "Why aren't you sleeping at night?"

"I just haven't been tired."

Celeste reached forward closing the top of his laptop. "I'm sure the 243 uses for tabacco ash isn't that interesting." She took the laptop laying it on the floor and climbed into his lap facing him, one leg on each side. "Please tell me whats wrong?" She reached down playing with the sash of his bathrobe.

Sherlock sighed as his heart beat quickly against his chest, thankful she was far enough away that she was sitting on his knees. "Nothing is wrong, I just haven't been able to sleep. It happens a lot." As he spoke his hands traveled towards her each resting on a hip. She had changed into her pjs after John had left and he still hadn't gotten used to the effect they had when she wore them.

"Sherlock?" Celeste asked after a few moments.

"Yeah?"

"Can you explain something to me?" She got up and walked back over to her chair picking up the book she had been reading he couldn't help but watch as her hips swayed back and forth as she walked back towards him, climbing back into his lap. "There's this part in my book I don't understand..." She held it out to him and pointed to a part where the man laid down the woman kissing her all over before undressing her. "Why are they doing that?" Sherlock blushed, they hadn't really talked to her about feelings and sex just yet except for the basics so she knew why men and women were different, in fact he was still waiting for that moment that she would have a period, unless she had and hadn't told him but the pads he had bought hadn't moved from their spot under the sink still sealed.

"Well, they love each other..." Sherlock trailed off. "When two people are enough each other long enough often times they develop feelings towards each other and eventually those feelings become physical. And eventually they because boyfriend and girlfriend, and eventually husband and wife."

"Have you ever had a girlfriend?" Celeste asked. "Or had those kinds of feelings?"

He thought for a moment, trying to decide if he told her the truth what would happen. "Well, I have... but I didn't act on them."

"Oh." Celeste was quite for a few moments looking back down at the book. "What was she like?"

"She was very pretty, she was short like you, with long hair, like you, and she was very smart."

"Like you?"

"Almost." He smirked.

Celeste relaxed and climbed off of Sherlock's lap thinking hard. "Do you think anyone could love me like this? I mean with all my scars and stuff?" Her fingers traced over the word 'love' in her book. Sherlock took both of her hands in his.

"I think that anyone who would judge you because of your outside appearance is a fool." Sherlock reached forward lifting her head up so he could look into her eyes. "You are beautiful Celeste and anyone who can't see that is an idiot."

"Sherlock..." She bit her bottom lip making Sherlock's stomach flip a bit. "I've been having these dreams lately... about a man..."

"Whatever it is, they're just dreams they can't hurt you." Sherlock said, he had been amazing at drawing John away from talking about her Dad he wasn't going to bring that on her now, not yet.

"But that's the thing... I don't think they're just dreams." She said quickly as he stood up and started towards the kicthen he froze halfway there. "I... I keep dreaming about this man... and he doesn these horrible things... I've even woke up crying a couple times... He does this thing where he takes one of those things," She pointed to the poker that sat next to the fireplace, "and he sticks it in the fire for a really long time, until it gets red hot... and... he..." She looked down at her hands twisting in her lap as tears splashed on her hands, "and he puts it inbetween my l-legs..." her voice broke at the last part. She clutched her chest as sobs raked her body, Sherlock twisted on the spot rushing to her side wrapping her into his arms. She hyperventalted as she clutched at his shirt as tears ran down her face staining his shirt and pants.

"Shhhh... I'm here. It's ok..." He kept saying rocking her back and forth. "It was just a dream..."

She pushed him away at this and began paciing. "It wasn't a dream!" She almost screamed. "I-I-It w-was re-real! I looked a-and there are burn marks, scars on the inside of my t-t-thighs! You w-wont talk about it but John has been telling me that if I have any kind of weird dreams th-that I should t-tell him." She paused taking in deep breaths. "But I didn't tell him because I-I..." She looked at Sherlock, "I wanted to hear it from you." She stopped pacing. "What happened to me Sherlock?"

Sherlock sat on the couch watching her, tears still running down her cheeks and her chest rising and falling quickly. He knew this time would come, he just wasn't aware it was going to come so soon. Slowly he stood and walked over towards Celeste but he didn't reach out and touch her. "Celeste..." His eyes traveled over her face before he reached out and took her by the hand pulling her back into him wrapping his arms around her back her head resting on his chest. "I'm so sorry I haven't told you... I've just wanted to protect you, make you happy..."

Celeste pulled away far enough to lift her head up looking Sherlock in the eyes. "Sherlock... I-I... I need to know why I'm having these dreams..." Sherlock opened his mouth as a thud came from downstairs. His head snapped towards the door as another thud sounded from the bottom of the stairs. "Sherlock what was that?"

"Go, hide. Now!" He hissed pushing her towards the kitchen. She stumbled almost falling but caught herself skirting around the corner into the hallway that led to the bedrooms as the door swung open she could heard a gruff voice speak.

"Where's the girl?" The voice said.

Sherlock stood in the middle of the room staring at a middle aged man with five o'clock shaddow on his face and a facial tribal tattoo that went down his neck where Sherlock assumed that traveled to more of his boddy.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. I live by myself." Celeste sat frozen in fear at the top of the stairs listening hard.

The man chuckled. "Very funny Mr. Holmes. I know she's here. The boss told me himself." He took a few steps forward. "Now, are you going to tell me or am I going to have to kill you too? I've no problem with either. Killing you will just be a small annoyance, but I'll admit it'll make looking for the girl easier."

"You're waisting your time, there is no girl here." Sherlock continued to watch the man as he slowly made his way towards the couch.

Looking down at the couch he chuckled again before pulling out a pistol and pointing it at Sherlock. "Mr. Collins was a crazy son of a bitch, but he was more certain about the address his little brat got sent to." He cocked the gun. "So are you going to tell me or am I tearing this place apart?"

"Mr. Collins sent you huh? And how did he get this address of all places?" Sherlock said, biding time, hoping whatever Celeste had heard she would be smart enough to try and escape.

"Why when you had him sign that paper Mr. Holmes. Remember? You already had it filled out, address and all." He smirked as Sherlock's face fell for a moment. The address on the paper... of course...

"So why did he send you? He said he didn't care about Celeste anymore, glad to get rid of her he told me. So, why?"

"Well that Mr. Collins he got to thinking he did. Thinking that if that little bitch got her mind back she might start talking, telling people who have no need to know stuff about Mr. Collins. And well Mr. Collins, well he decided that he didn't want to spend anymore time in the prision than he already was going to. See he thinks that if he shuts her up for good she wont ever be able to squeal and he'll be able to ride out his 10 years nice a relaxed like." He cocked the gun. "So. The girl Mr. Holmes. If you would."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have her here. He must have seen the wrong address." Sherlock slowly inched his way towards the fireplace. "And if you would I'd rather us not blow my brains out here. You see, brains are awfly hard to get out of carpet." He paused reaching behind him towards the cast iron poker for the fireplace. "I know, I've tried."

Three things happened all at once. The man pulled the trigger missing Sherlock barely as Celeste rammed into the middle of his back just as Sherlock made to swing towards the man but instead missed sinking the tip of the poker into the floor. As Sherlock yanked the poker free he turned just in time as the man brought the butt of his gun down hard onto Celeste's head, sending an almighty crack through the apartment and Celeste crashing to the floor, a small trickle of blood ran down the side of her face from the spot that the gun had made it's contact. Before the man could gather himself and pull the trigger on Celeste, Sherlock swung with all his strength screaming, "CELESTE!" coming in contact with the mans head sending him flying backwards into a crumpled heap.

Sherlock dropped the poker falling, more of a throw, next to Celeste who's lifeless body laid there quiet and unmoving. The last thing she heard before blacking out was Sherlock screaming her name.


	12. Chapter 12

**So sorry (not sorry) for leaving you on that wonderous cliff hanger! I just couldn't help myself :) Again before we dive back into Sherlock's life I'd love to ask once again for you guys to not be afraid to share this with friends who you might think would enjoy this! If you do, don't be afraid to let me know you did! I'd love to hear how this story travels and I think you guys are just brilliant! Thank you all so very much, I really can't say it enough!**

Sherlock sat in the same couch next to the same hospital bed he had been sitting in for over two weeks. Every noise he thought he heard his head would snap up towards her body, but like the other five hundred thousand times he had done so she still hadn't moved. His chin had just sunk down onto his chest when the door opened. He didn't look up because he knew it could only be one of three people, her doctor who came in only to check on her vitals, the nurse who came to make sure he was comfortable, or John. By the sound of the shoes on the tile he knew it was John. "How's she doing." John asked, same as he had for the past two weeks.

"Same..." Sherlock waved his hand at her chart which John helped himself to. "Nothing new, nothing worse."

"Well, nothing worse is good." John said trying to sound cheerful, Sherlock just scoffed.

"Hey, she's going to be ok. She got knocked pretty good, and there was _nothing_ you could have done about it." He said setting the chart back a bit harder than what was needed, coming and sitting by Sherlock on the couch. "You need to stop blaming yourself." Sherlock didn't look at John, the only things he had looked at since she had been admitted was the floor, the ceiling, and Celeste. "There was nothing that you could have done. You didn't know she was going to try to tackle him... Besides, she didn't get shot, she's breathing on her own, it's just a coma..." At this Sherlock looked up at John. "People come out of them all the time." He patted Sherlock on the back. "Have you eaten?" Sherlock pointed towards a tray one of the nurses had brought in minutes before John had showed up, sat on the table untouched. John's brow furrowed. "You need to eat."

"What's the point?" Sherlock murmered.

"The point." John said standing up grabbing the tray slamming it in front of him. "Is giving a person to wake up _to_. Not a corpse." He shoved the plastic spork into Sherlock's hand. "Now eat, or I'll have you admitted and tied down with an IV in your arm." Sherlock looked down at the food and back up at John who was watching.

Sherlock sighed and scopped a small amount of what the nurse had said was turkey into his mouth, slowly chewing it John decided that was good enough because at least it was something when he sat back down next to Sherlock as he slowly made his way through the tray trying to not think about what he was doing. When he was finished John took the tray and set it over by the door. "You sleep at all last night?"

"Barely." He looked back down at the floor. "It's been a while. I just lay here listening for something... anything. I honestly don't know if I actually sleep and just dream that I'm still awake listening to the heart monitor. Or if I'm actually awake all night."

"Do you want me to ask the nurse for something so you can sleep?" John asked after a few minutes of silence.

Sherlock shook his head. "No.. I want to be able to wake up if she does."

"When Sherlock. When she does." John corrected him. The door opened next to him, he knew it wasn't the right time of rounds for the nurse and the doctor was there just an hour ago. Sherlock lifted his head up watching as Lestrade and Mycroft walked in. John stood and shook Lestrade's hand giving Mycroft a nod of the head.

"We came to see how she was doing." Lestrade said walking over to the bed next to Celeste, Sherlock saw he had a vase with flowers in it as he set it on the table next to her bed.

"Same. Nothing new." John said so Sherlock didn't have to. "Thanks for coming, I know she'd be happy to see you Greg. And I know she'd like to meet Mycroft."

Sherlock's eyes darted over towards his brother who was still standing by the door. He took a few steps forward towards the bed and looked down at her face. "She's quite pretty. You weren't lying Greg. Still quite plain. When Greg told me you had taken a liking to a woman I was expecting a super model Sherlock. Not someone like this. But I guess I never would have guessed it took a loon to catch my brother's fanc-" Mycroft was cut off as Sherlock stood quickly grabbing the front his brother's coat.

"Take that back." He growled as Greg and John pulled the brothers apart. "Take it BACK!"

"Sherlock!" John shouted surprised, "You're going to get kicked out." He shoved Sherlock back onto the couch staying in front of him in case he decided to make another lunge at Mycroft. "Mycroft she isn't a loon." John said, trying to calm both down. "She's actually very smart. Now I'm going to have to ask that if you can't hold your tongue you leave."

Mycroft looked at John. "He needs to know that this isn't the end of his life. That he needs to move on. I was merely trying to get him to see that he could do better and that all is not lost."

"If it was Greg laying there would you still think so?" Sherlock shot at Mycroft.

"That is completely different." Mycroft said straightening up. "You barely know this woman."

"I know enough."

"You've known her for barely three months!" Mycroft shouted and before Sherlock could open his mouth a nurse popped her head in.

"Oi, what's going on in here? If you don't keep it down I'm going to have to ask you all to leave." She looked at Sherlock as though he had been the one shouting. "You too Mr. Holmes."

"Yes, sorry, we will keep it down." John said nodding to the nurse. She looked at each of them before disappearing back into the hall. John looked back at Mycroft, "This needs to stop between you two. It's childish."

Sherlock went back to looking at the ground. "Maybe he's right..."

John turned slowly as though he wasn't sure it had been Sherlock who spoke, he stared down at the detective. "What did you say?"

"You heard me John. I barely know Celeste... all i know is who I've made her into. But I know in here," he pointed to his heart, "that I care about her. And that is what matters, even if she never feels that way back about me. I don't care, what I care about is that woman laying in that bed. And even if we never have anyone else in the world we will have each other." He paused looking right at his brother. "I love her." He walked over to the bed and placed his hand over hers taking her hand in his. It had been the first time he had touched her since the night she had been hit over the head. And neither the doctors, or Sherlock, or John knew what happened but when he touched her hand her eyes fluttered open and she let out a small sore moan and shut her eyes again.

As if they were all the same person all four heads snapped towards Celeste. "I'm getting the nurse." Greg said as he took from the room. Sherlock bent over her his face inches away from hers.

"Celeste?" He whispered, when she didn't said anything he thought that maybe he had imagined it and that he would look up and Greg would still be in the room giving him a look as to why he was suddenly whispering to her. "Celeste?" He said softly one more time touching his finger tips to the side of her face, stroking her cheek.

"Mmm..." She moaned again, her eyes fluttered open again making contact with Sherlock's. "Sherlock?" She murmered.

"Celeste!" His eyes lit up as doctors and nurses suddenly rushed in pushing him aside to get to her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Le gasp! She's awake! :)**

The doctors fussed over Celeste for almost an hour before the last nurse finally left leaving the three of them alone, Greg and Mycroft had left telling Sherlock that Greg would stop by later to see how they were doing. Celeste sat up in the bed waching the nurse leave waiting until the door shut before speaking. "How long have I been out?" She asked looking at Sherlock who made his way quickly from the couch to the bed where he sat wanting to touch her but afraid that this was all a dream and that she would just turn into smoke and he would be laying on the couch clutching air.

"About two weeks," John said when Sherlock didn't answer.

"Two weeks? Holy hell." Celeste murmered. "What happened?"

"Why don't you tell me what you remember?" John said pulling up a chair next to the bed.

"Well, I remember Sherlock and I were sitting at home. He was on the computer and I was reading a book, when we started fighting about something... I..." She went quiet shutting her eyes thinking really hard. "I was asking him about a dream I'd been having... and there was a man... with a gun?" She looked at Sherlock to see if that was right. "And I remember he pointed it at Sherlock asking where I was and I hit him... that's all I remember..."

John looked at Sherlock and back to Celeste. "Do you remember how you met Sherlock and I?"

She thought really hard and had her eyes shut for so long Sherlock thought she had fallen back asleep. "My Dad..." She said finally slowly opening her eyes as a tear ran down her cheek. And as though she suddenly remembered her head spun around as she gripped Sherlock's arm tightly. "Where is he?! No body called him did they?!"

Sherlock grabbed onto her leaning over her. "No, shh, he's not here, he's gone."

"G-gone?" Celeste stuttered. "What do you mean gone?"

"He was arrested... for murder..." Sherlock said treading carefully, not quite sure what all she exactly remembered.

"So... they found the bodies..." Celeste leaned back a bit, still keeping one hand clutched on Sherlock's. "When did this happen? Everything's a bit... fuzzy."

"About three months ago." Sherlock ran his hand up and down her arm, now that he was touching her he didn't to stop. As John and Sherlock filled Celeste in on the parts she had some trouble remembering the hours flew by and they only realized what time it was when the nurse brought in some jello for Celeste to eat.

"It's better than nothing," She said when Celeste murmered something about starving her.

"So... what does this mean for us?" She turned towards Sherlock after she finished her so called dinner.

He quickly looked away from her. "What do you mean?" He glanced back at her when she didn't say anything right away.

"I mean." She said rubbing her thumb against the top of his hand. "do I still get to stay at Baker Street? I mean... I'll leave if you'd like, you know. Now that I've got my memory back, you probably don't want some silly girl running around your flat." She quickly let go of his hand placing them in her lap. "At least not one like me. You probably have better things to do." She looked down suddenly becoming very interested in the fuzz on the blanket.

"Celeste," Sherlock reached forward taking her hand in his again. "I told you when I brought you home that you could stay as long as you wanted."

"Yeah, but that's when I a bit mental wasn't it?"

"Why do you think thats changed?" He smirked at her. "I still think you're a bit mental." Celeste looked up at him and laughed.

"Gee thanks!" She nudged him with her shoulder, but instead of pulling away she stayed leaning against him, resting her head on his. Celeste looked at him out of the corner of her eyes. "I heard you you know." She said softly.

Sherlock pulled away for a moment looking at her. "What do you mean?"

"I heard what you said, you know, before I woke up." She smiled as her eyes scanned his face. "I heard everything that you said while I was, I dunno asleep? I was always dreaming, but your voice always came in clear as a bell. Like you were standing right next to me. It helped me find my way back." John slowly stared to head towards the door but Celeste heard him. "John you don't have to leave. In fact, can you come over here really quick?" She said grinning.

"Yeah, sure." He walked back over and sat down. "What did you need?"

Celeste reached out and poked his mustache. "Bug." She said sweetly, her and Sherlock burst into tears of laughter as John sat back in his chair sulking. She leaned back against Sherlock as she wiped a tear from her face. "I'll never let you forget that. Bloody brilliant of me it was." She grinned.

"Oh yeah, hiliarious." John stood up. "I better get heading home. I will be back tomorrow, you two behave." He waggled a finger at them.

"I wouldn't dream of doing anything but, besides, I'm kind of bed ridden for a tad bit you know?" She gave a small bounce making the bed squeak. "See? Bed rest. You know, not that I didn't have enough of it." She laced her fingers through Sherlock's and rested her head against his shoulder as they watched the doctor leave. "Mmm," She sighed happily.

Sherlock rested his face in her hair, "What?" he murmered into her hair.

"I missed you." She whispered. "I missed this. Touching you... I mean hearing your voice was fine, but I missed the touch of your skin..." She lifted her hand still holding onto his and kissed the back of her hand. "I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you for what you did Sherlock Holmes."

"I don't want you to." He swung his leg over the side of the bed laying next to her moving his arm so it wrapped around her waist her head rested on his shoulder.

She laid her hand on his leg rubbing her thumb over the same spot. "You really do look tired."

He chuckled. "Yeah, well I haven't slept well since your first night at Baker Street."

"I figured as much." She smiled moving her head looking up at him. "Well, we'll just have to change that." She snuggled up against him resting one leg over his. "Comfortable?" She asked looked back up at him but he was already alseep, his head slumped back onto the pillow and his chest rising up and down slowly. Celeste smiled and reached over with her free hand turning on the telly although it wasn't long before she herself fell back asleep clutching a part of Sherlock's shirt in one hand, a soft smile carefully placed upon her lips as she nuzzled her face against his chest.


End file.
